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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#1: Birthdays

The Reedsy writing prompts newsletter started almost three years ago, and over the past few years, the simple concept of sending out five weekly writing ideas has allowed us to connect with thousands of fantastic authors around the world. This week marks the 150th edition of our prompts newsletter, and to celebrate, we’re excited to launch our brand new Reedsy Prompts page which will host our writing contest moving forward! Also to celebrate our prompts newsletter turning 150 weeks old, the theme this week is — what else — birthdays!

This week's prompts

Write a story about a stressed parent planning their child's birthday.

Adults – 22 stories

Write a story about a sweet sixteen.

Short Story – 13 stories

Write a story about someone turning 100 years old.

Fiction – 47 stories

Write a story about someone trying to find the perfect birthday gift.

Short Story – 19 stories

Write a story about a birthday party with a major plot twist.

Funny – 38 stories

Stories

“Dear Abigail” by Giovonni Hale

Submitted to Contest #1

Elizabeth parked her Jeep in a space near the bakery’s entrance and scurried inside. It was already half past noon. Precious, delicate time was slipping away. Inside, a towering woman with a pink apron and bifocals asked what she could make for her today. “Are you Janice? I need Janice, please.” Elizabeth mumbled fetching a printout of her desired creation from her purse. The woman rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and turned to disappear through a set of revolving doors behind the counter. Elizabeth glanced around the small shop her frie...

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“Even A Five-Year-Old's Patience Is Limited” by Aleyna Altinors

Submitted to Contest #1

"I'm sorry, what?" Penelope paced around the kitchen island, biting down vigorously on her fingernails and her mobile phone held up to her left ear, her mind immediately running to the worst at that moment, "Ryo, it's Jouji's birthday tomorrow, what do you mean the flight got cancelled?"Jouji, the love of Penelope's life, was turning five today. Within those five years, Ryo had been taking flights in and out of Australia to Kyoto, Japan for continuous business trips, resulting in him having missed a total of two of Jouji's birthdays over the...

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“First Years Gold” by Rayna Stoute

Submitted to Contest #1

Maude let out a drawn-out sigh that almost hurt his throat as he flopped his head onto the table in front of him. His straight blond hair padded the right side of his head where it lay and trailed down to his shoulders. It had taken a few years to grow it to this length. Though it was a nuisance, he just didn’t feel like going through the trouble of cutting it.Moving his viridian colored eyes, he caught sight of four-year-old Xael. He had adopted the girl a few months ago when her parents had been killed. She would soon be five. He had to pl...

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“Dinosaurs and Mermaids” by Kamilah Hana

Submitted to Contest #1

I let out a shaky sigh. Why do birthdays have to exist...?I chewed on the inside of my cheek nervously. Somehow, I needed to make this work. I had to mix dinosaur robots with mermaids. How? I do not know, but if I don't, all hell will break loose.I am Josephine Stuart, a 35-year-old office worker with three children, two of them being twins. My eldest, Samantha, is a problematic high school student who seemed to enjoy being anywhere but home. My twins, Emma and Ethan, are in the third grade and childish as any normal child should be. Emma wa...

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“100 YEARS” by Lynette Nantongo

Submitted to Contest #1

January 10th. This day has made emergency feel lost in my thoughts even now and then I think about it. It's like a horrible tale that my grand mother used to tell me about a man whow lost his tooth in the jungle buy eating row oranges. Don't question yourself about a word am talking about because it very tiring when ever I explain to people of how much I want to stay in my present for the rest of my life. This has been going on for the passed eight years now. When made an oath to my father that i would marry before this day. Now it's here a...

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“CENTURY OLD” by Michelle Iruobe

Submitted to Contest #1

CENTURY-OLD The light rays coming through the raffia-woven window in the room illuminated the entire space, blinding the younger occupant of the small bed at the corner of the room. The girl, squinting her eyes in a bid to adjust to the light, stretched her body upwards to reach the window which was not far away and used a cloth to block the rays. Able to see properly with the controlled light, the girl breathed in deeply and yawned. She looked down at the older occupant of the bed and greeted in the native language. “G...

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“A Love that Never Dies” by Makayla M

Submitted to Contest #1

Most of the memories I had of my Grandma while growing up consisted of her being restricted to a hospital bed. I remember holding my mom’s hand as we walked into her hospital room for the first time, with a “Get Well Soon” card gripped in my hand. I was a little too young to understand what was going on, but mom explained to me that Grandma was really sick and being in the hospital would make her feel better. She had her good days and bad. On the good ones, she was able to laugh and chat with us like nothing was wrong. I’d pull up a chair ne...

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“Independence Day” by Jason Tweed

Submitted to Contest #1

Independence Dayby Jason Tweed"Dad, where are the keys?""Daaad!", Ainsley shouts."They are on the hook. You know, where you're supposed to put them…" Max replies.Ainsley had mastered the eye roll in her 17 years on the planet. Max finds it somehow endearing. It is like a silent, "I love you", between father and daughter. It also might be a silent "fuck you", but Max chooses to ignore the double meaning."Don't forget," he says softly, "we have Grammy's birthday thing tonight.""Do I have to? There are only a limited number of senior year Frida...

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“The 100th Candle ” by CAYMAN FRIEDMAN

Submitted to Contest #1

Mary had lived ninety-nine years so far, in three days she would be one hundred. Though her hair had greyed and she had the faintest trace of whiskers on her chin, her eyes were still full of life, full of youthful vigor; if you asked her, she did not feel a day over twenty-five. As she was sitting on the couch, reading her favorite novel, the phone rang; she reached across the armrest and onto the table beside her to pick up the phone; upon pressing the talk button, her son Peter greeted her warmly, " Hello mom, are you excited for Th...

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“Just a Cup of Tea” by Audrey .

Submitted to Contest #1

Oh, what- what is that noise? I- oh dear, it seems my neighbor Mr. Adler’s back at it again hammering on the wall for some reason. I sure do wish he would stop. But nevermind, I guess shall- ah! I know, I’ll fix a cup of tea for Elena for when she comes to fix up my room later. You know, all of the people here are just so, so kind. Elena especially. They all have great patience, you know. Retirement homes can always be so- drab. But a good cup of tea- sure does make quite the difference.Oh, yes! The tea for Elena. Of course. I believe she wa...

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“I’m Here For You. ” by Justice Bushey

Submitted to Contest #1

“Anna?” I cringed when I heard my name. But like clockwork I looked towards the voice. “Are you the new volunteer?” A dark haired woman asked me as she approached me with a large cake in her hands. “I guess,” I said sharply. She looked taken aback before forcing a smile. “Do you think you could go put this cake over on the table? I would but I have to go give Winnie her medication.” I rolled my eye’s “I guess so,” I said taking the large chiclet cake in...

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“The Perfect Gift” by Scott Parent

Submitted to Contest #1

Jewelry. No, too personal. He’d only worked with her for six months. Jewelry would be creepy. He definitely wanted to avoid creepy. What about bookends? No. Who gives bookends? Maybe some type of clothing. He picked up a scarf. Not a winter scarf, but the kind that he’d seen women wear as an accessory. He looked at another and another, feeling the different textures, pondering the colors. No. Giving a scarf is like giving someone a tie. He wanted something that said, “Hey there. I am your friend and I’m not creepy.” Besides, he’d never seen ...

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“Hope She Likes It… ” by Christine Hungerford

Submitted to Contest #1

“Okay…” I sighed as I Sauntered down the toys aisle at Walmart with my little brother in tow. “Where can I get her a gift?” We were shopping for the third time today Cassandra’s mother had announced they would be holding her birthday party tonight. Of all times, Conner and I had to rush to get the bratty little girl a gift tonight. Like it couldn’t be next week or even tomorrow night. &nbs...

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“You are my perfect gift” by Aline Tomimori

Submitted to Contest #1

Liza was walking down the principal street, looking carefully into all the shop windows, asking herself, what would be the perfect gift? Since she and John met all they always wanted was to be happy, live a simple life, full of joy. John was the kind of guy who liked to be invisible. He brought happiness to Liza’s life after a really bad relationship, he just smoothly got into her heart and healed the open wound, without wanting anything else than her friendship. Well, we all know, that becomes more than just friendship. What would...

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“A balance of effort, meaning and love.” by Kamilah Hana

Submitted to Contest #1

I browse through the shelves, my eyes tracing each object with interest. Could she want a new mixing bowl? She has plenty, and she wouldn't be so happy with me spending so much... Maybe a weighing scale...? She's never really needed one, so it might be useless...My mother is great. I know that most kids dislike their moms for being too strict or overbearing, but I find my mom to be amazing. She's attentive without being invasive, and she isn't too strict either. She gives me independence, something that I appreciate deeply, above all the che...

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$50

Prize money

139

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 09, 2019 EST

Won by Joseph McLaughlin 🏆

Title: To You

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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